MLP: Friendship is Hunted
by Newenglander
Summary: The Cosmo Sapien Race, the "Hunting Party"...a race of living galaxies that go from planet to planet finding beings to consume. And now Equestria faces the last of the Cosmo Sapiens! Can it be saved from a fate worse than death? Or perhaps it's the Huntsman, their world's newest threat, that needs saving? Warning: contains fetish elements.
1. The Huntsman from the Stars

The sun shone hot and heavy…the air humid, thick with tension. Three titans standing across from each other in sweltering, blistering heat. One held aloft a mixture of spear and staff, a mighty weapon that bristled with bright blue energy that hissed in the air like a cobra rising to full height. The other two stood side by side, heads held high, panting slightly at the horned figure before them.

"I've never, ever had more worthy challenges." It told them. There was not an ounce of mockery in his words. He was sincere. Truthful. Almost…kindly. He sounded sad that the challenge had to end as he aimed the end of the staff at the two sisters, his piercing blue eyes gazing into theirs. "You've both been very, very worthy. True credits to your race."

"We will not fall here to you." The first intoned, her voice motherly, yet firm, and biting, the second nodding in agreement.

"Thou shalt be defeated, here and now." She proclaimed, her voice booming, deep and intimidating like the roar of thunder in the middle of a story night.

Silence as the sun continued to beam down upon them, almost pushing them into the soft grass of the plains they stood upon. Enormous chunks of ground had been ripped apart by magic most powerful, or the immense energy blasts the hunter before the two sisters had sent their way. There would be a winner…one way or another.

Unless…

"…no…more." He finally proclaimed, placing the end of the spear on the ground, shaking his head back and forth. "No more. You are too tired. I am too tired. This has never, ever happened. Not to my father. Not to grandfather. Certainly not to me." He admitted. "A tie is almost unheard of for my race. But…it's a tie all the same, and we have rules."

He slammed his fist against his chest, giving them a bow of his head. "You earned my respect, Princess Celestia, Princess Luna. I will remember you. And I will return within a hundred years to see if you've progressed. I desire…closure…to this fight."

"We will be ready and waiting. The Hunting Party will not succeed here." Celestia informed him, shaking her head back and forth as she saw him…flinch? As if…offended, almost. "What?"

"There's no "party", Celestia. I'm not going back to my family."

"Why not?" Luna wished to know as he wryly smiled.

"I'm all that is left."

"…OH." The two sisters said at once, glancing at each other as he turned around, sighing slightly, head bowed.

"Other races would have just attacked me on sight. I appreciate you let me establish the ground rules, even knowing what my species did. I assure you, I will remember your honorable behavior."

"There are pains worse than that of the flesh. The pain of disregarding that which is closest to your soul is the worst of all." Celestia insisted.

"We have our integrity to think about. Even knowing what your kind did to others, we couldn't in good conscience just attack you unprovoked." Luna added as she and Celestia walked towards him as he headed along the plains, a gentle wind beginning to blow at last, giving them some small reprieve as the black-bodied being inhaled deeply, enjoying the scent carried on the breeze. "Where willst thou go?"

"I may not have family to go back to…but it's been far too long…and I want to go home."

…

…

…

… "It'll be good to finally be home." Fluttershy insisted cheerily to Rainbow Dash and the others, looking over a small photograph of Angel and the other animals at her little home in Ponyville, sighing wistfully as she shook her head back and forth, her pink mane flopping about. "I know Spike promised to take good care of them, but I so dearly miss the dears."

"I appreciate you all coming with me to see Princess Celestia." Princess Twilight Sparkle admitted, bowing her head at her friends as she sat in a booth, wings folded at her sides as her unicorn horn sparked, a book of notes flying over to her indigo form as she turned the journal to what she needed, holding it up for the others to see. The sky-colored Rainbow Dash tilted her head slightly in confusion, her long rainbow-colored hair falling a little bit over her eyes.

"Is that a…minotaur?" She asked, pointing at the figure drawn in Twilight's journal, Fluttershy shaking her head.

"Oh no, I'd recognize a minotaur. That's definitely not a minotaur." She murmured.

"Yeah, don't minotaurs…y'know…got them hooves?" Applejack asked, the green-eyed pony scratching her head, pushing the large brown Stanton hat atop her head slightly up, chewing a little on her lip. "Kinda looks like he oughta be from TARTARUS. Real demon."

"I must say, I adore the jewelry he has around his neck, though." Rarity spoke up, her pale skin positively glowing in the light of the train compartment thanks to an excellent new shampoo she had, resting her head on one hoof as she sat in her plushy chair. "Such a lovely necklace. Bright blue is a lovely contrast to his dark, brooding body. And it brings out the color of his eyes."

"Good thing that Celestia and Luna remembered so much about this guy." The cheery, upbeat Pinkie Pie added with a wave of her hoof. "They said he's a member of "The Hunting Party"?" She asked. "Doesn't sound like MY kind of Party, though." She muttered with a pout. "My parties don't involve shooting people with anything but t-shirt cannons!"

"They're supposedly…well…aliens." Twilight admitted, the others all looking around at each other, confused at first, almost…frightened. But then again, they HAD fought hydras, Ursa Minors, a demonic centaur, the personification of Disharmony itself, a corruption spirit that had once driven Luna insane with jealousy, tackled beings that could change their appearance to imitate others, been to another dimension entirely. So…**aliens**?...not so farfetched. "The technical term is "Cosmo Sapien". They live for the hunt. The challenge. And it's been about one hundred years since he last came."

"They're certain he'll be a-comin' back soon? Like, this year?" Applejack asked, peeking out the nearby window of the train, the harsh, howling winds outside a stark contrast to the soft yellows and reds within as she shuddered just from LOOKING at the thick piles of snow being pelted down onto the plains. "Daaang. We gotta get ready, then. Get the Elements."

"Just what I was thinking." Twilight insisted with a firm nod. "One on one, I don't think we could take him. However, if we worked together, well…we can move mountains!"

Or at least, that's what she'd been about to say when a loud, horrific, crashing noise filled the air, everyone sent flying, Fluttershy tearing out the window. Jagged, icy pain digging into her skin, cackling, hissing, buzzing cries filling the air, screaming piercing through her ears as she struck the ground, bumped her head on a rock…

And remembered…

Nothing more.

…

…

…

…so cold…

It was so, so cold. Fluttershy shuddered, wrapping her arms around herself, whimpering slightly, making her way past obvious train wreckage, panting as her breath condensed before her. The wind was stabbing into her like knives all across her frail form as her pink mane fluttered back and forth and she cringed, trying to find any sign of her friends. What had…happened? The train must have suddenly hit something, or…

No. Wait. She could see…insectoid wings. Several all littered around along with dark black carapaces like-

Changelings. Changelings must have attacked the train. She shuddered in fear, cupping her hooves around her mouth. "TWILIGHT? DASH? APPLEJACK? RARITY? PINKIE?"

Nothing. Fluttershy grit her teeth, continuing to try and move along where the train tracks were. She had to keep moving, try and follow the tracks to Ponyville, with any luck, perhaps she'd get there before…

Before…

Soooo…_cold_…

She flopped to her knees, shuddering again, wracked with agonizing pain as she tried to get up, but…she could barely move. She felt like she'd been dipped in a big block of ice, helpless to escape. Why? Why here, now? When her friends could have been in real dang-

"Are you cold?" A deep, dark, ethereal voice inquired, Fluttershy managing to raise her head to behold a titanic horned being that now stared down at her, muscular arms folded across a well-built chest, bright blue eyes blazing in the blizzard that raged around her. He knelt down slightly by her, Fluttershy slightly shivering at the sight of his rather large, sharp claws and…very, VERY sharp teeth. His body was as dark as the night sky, with what could only be described as faint, glimmering stars littered about within it, blinking slightly across his chest, his stomach, everywhere. He somehow sniffed her, despite lacking a nose, tilting his head to the side a little.

"…I…um…" Fluttershy squeaked out as the Cosmo Sapien chuckled a bit.

"Obvious question. I can smell how quickly you're turning into a pony-sicle. The less obvious questions being…_"How desperate am I to escape this cold"_ and _"Is this person trustworthy"_?" He inquired. "I know you're trying to get to where this railroad ends. I have enhanced senses…I can see the town off in the distance that you seek to reach. It's still five miles away. You'd never reach their in time unless I carry you."

"I think I-I'd…f-freeze if…if I let you puh-puh-pick me up…" Fluttershy gulped.

The Cosmo Sapien shook his head. "No, no. I meant I could carry you in my stomach, then regurgitate you. It's **quite** warm inside."

Fluttershy's eyes went wider than saucers as she gaped at the suggestion, the hunter continuing. "Your fear is understandable. Look at it this way, though. If I am honest, you'll make it home. If I'm NOT, at least you will die warm and with company, rather than cold and alone. What do you really have to lose?" He inquired, holding out a clawed hand, Fluttershy cringing as she gulped nervously.

"I…g-guess nothing…" She managed to admit. "Al…alright I'll…I'll…I…I suppose I don't…don't have any choice…" She whimpered, closing her eyes. She couldn't bring herself to watch what was happening to her.

"Just relax…and don't forget to take deep, deep breaths." He tenderly intoned, carefully lifting her up, as she felt his warm breath on her face, the hunter gently inserting her head into his pulsing mouth. With a tug of her torso, he shoved it into his throat and pressed his lips on her neck, his stomach gave a gurgle as if in anticipation as he forced the pony's shoulders inside. With Fluttershy securely in his grasp, his tongue began to travel over the pony's chest, Fluttershy still not opening her eyes.

She was surprised, though. How easily he was working his jaws over her shoulders….each new gulp sending more and more of her body into his maw, a grip from his teeth aiding him in devouring her torso. Soon he had a mouthful of Fluttershy's hips and his claws let go of her body to let gravity do the work for him as he rubbed his slightly expanding belly, another gulp sending Fluttershy's thighs into his mouth, his deep, low moans indicating he was clearly enjoying this.

Fluttershy felt the warm massage of his throat over her body, her head beginning to enter what was clearly his stomach, soft muscles squeezing, kneading him like bread, so squishy and pleasant. Her front legs already stuffed into the hunter's throat, all that remained were her legs and her rear, which the hunter was now resting his claws upon. He felt her shiver in fear, and he gently rubbed her bottom, stroking it, trying to calm her before giving another deep swallow that sent her legs down, slurping up her hooves. His tongue explored the taste of her hooves, tickling them slightly as saliva washed over her soles and Fluttershy sank deeper into a deep, dark abyss that began to engulf her. She was curled up now in a fetal position, feeling like she was in a mixture of water and jelly, and took in large, deep breaths, still terrified of opening her eyes…

But open them she did, finding herself in a strangely pillow-like place, everything cushioning her as she was massaged by the muscles of the belly. It was so odd…and why was the liquid she was breathing in helping her? How could she breathe? How…

Hands? Something was…caressing her? Comforting her? She could faintly feel what felt like dozens of hands all tenderly resting on her body, trying to stroke her, tend to her, a nice, tingling warmth rising in her as she felt something even bigger rubbing her. The hunter was rubbing his stomach and she could…hear him speaking as if he was right by her side.

"Just relax…calm down. Deep breaths." He insisted. "It's slightly jarring to some, but you don't need to be frightened. You're feeling the many others I've absorbed over the years into my body. That's how my kind eats. But I can hold people indefinitely inside my stomach, in the dark matter that is the space between spaces. I AM a living galaxy after all." He informed her. "So take deep breaths."

Fluttershy gulped a bit…but took in a few careful, cautious, deep breaths, now beginning to feel more comfortable than nervous as she leaned back against the soft walls around her. It was much like resting against a bean bag chair, or a plushy couch with a blanket upon it as she heard cheery voices speaking to her in her mind.

_"We're here for you."_

_"It's okay, the Huntsman won't hurt you."_

_"He's gonna get you home." _

_"It'll be alright, Miss Pony."_

"Y-you promise you won't…um…digest me?" Fluttershy nervously asked of "The Huntsman" as she felt him chuckle.

"I **ALWAYS **keep my word." He insisted, Fluttershy feeling him rub his belly again. "I'll let you out at your village when we arrive. Should only take half an hour."

"Did you, um…that is…see my friends? Other ponies? I'm worried they were hurt by the train attack." Fluttershy wanted to know, tapping her hooves together as the Huntsman "hmmmed" for a moment before speaking.

"I examined the crash before I approached you. There's no bodies, if you're frightened of their deaths. Most likely, they were taken by a rescue team that couldn't find you since this place was swaming with insectoid creatures that probably scared them away."

"Changelings. They're not exactly…nice to us ponies."

"I wasn't very nice to them either when they attacked me. Again. I had ended up coming to Equestria late. I had meant to come here a hundred years after my challenge against the two matriarchs of your land, but I was...seeking family. Family long gone. I ended up coming here long after your lunar princess had been banished, and encountered Changelings instead." The Huntsman admitted. "They won't be coming back, I assure you. I reminded them why they lost against me a hundred heard ago. They're not eager for a repeat of my banquet. Now relax…enjoy your stay for the moment." He cooed to her, rubbing his bulging belly. "Get some rest. You've earned it, my little pony."

…

…

…

… "We've got to go find her!" Twilight insisted to the rescue team, pacing back and forth, the others murmuring and whispering to each other at the train station, Twilight's horn alit with magical energy as she curved a hoof into a fist, Mister First Aid shaking his redheaded head back and forth.

"That stretch of track where the Changelings first attacked the train is swarming with Changelings. You're all still injured and need rest, and we need backup before we go back out in the middle of a worsening blizzard." He insisted. "It's a miracle the train even kept **going** for a few more miles before it finally crashed."

"Well, we tried to keep it steady as best we could while they were trying to knock it off the track." Applejack admitted, shaking her head back and forth, looking down at her broken leg, cringing visibly.

"They were **real **mean." Pinkie growled out. "Some people need to learn how to PLAY NICE!"

"Uh…g-g-guys?" The little draconic assistant of Twilight squeaked out, eyes bugging in horror as he pointed across the train station at a figure making his way through a thick cloud of snow and biting winter wind. "I **don't** think that's a pony…"

"Don't think that's a Changeling either…" Twilight whispered as the figure stepped out of the cloud and onto the train station terminal, patting his chest, letting out a slight burp as his belly bulged out. "…oh no. Y-you…you didn't!"

"I'll let her out in a moment, Twilight Sparkle of Equestria." The Huntsman admitted, holding a clawed hand up. "After all, it's swimsuit season and I want to slim down. But you and I have matters to discuss. Shall we speak in your home?"

"My home blew up." Twilight muttered.

"Oh! We have something in common. I feel like we're friends already! I'm already so close to Fluttershy-" The Huntsman cringed. "Too soon, sorry."

"Uh…sh-should…should I write to the princesses?" Spike eeped out, Twilight nodding her head as Applejack and Rainbow Dash quickly stepped forward, eyes narrowing as they tried to ignore the pain that shot up from their broken legs, Rarity looking over at Twilight…Pinkie Pie poking the Huntsman's stomach.

"Pinkie!" Twilight groaned.

"Ooh, jiggly!" Pinkie giggled.

"Wakey, wakey." The Huntsman remarked, concentrating as Fluttershy began to phase out of the stomach as if emerging from water, Pinkie Pie catching her as she fell down, the Huntsman folding his arms over his chest. "You're back home, as I promised."

"It's the puppy eyes, isn't it?" Pinkie wanted to know with a cheery smile. "They always charm everyone over. That's why you didn't make her into a continental breakfast!"

"Well…somewhat." The Huntsman admitted. "But as I said…we've much to discuss. And we shouldn't do it here."

Indeed, it wasn't long before all of them were sitting in Ms. Cake's shop, the Huntsman hungrily devouring entire cakes in big, enormous gulps, wolfing down one after another as Pinkie sighed wistfully, resting her head on a hoof and beaming at the sight. "He's a man after my own heart." She whispered, Rarity feeling the Huntsman's sides as he blushed slightly at her touch, putting the double-chocolate frosted cake he'd been about to swallow down to the side.

"Ohhhh myyyyy. The texture of the skin is FASCINATING. It's like warm satin." She murmured, the unicorn's eyes going wide in amazement. "It feels so…pleasurable."

"You should feel the manes of the rulers of your land. It's even more divine to the touch. And Celestia's smells like cherries!" The Huntsman complimented with a nod at Twilight, who quickly got out her notebook, scribbling down in it with her quill dipped in fresh ink, starting an entry "Interview with Cosmo Sapien: First Contact for Equestria". "I'm certain your rulers spoke of why I came here last time?"

"Yes. For "worthy prey"?" Twilight wanted to know, the Huntsman nodding.

"They fought me to a standstill. Now a century has passed. I seek to define a simple question: whether you are worthy as a race to learn what I have to teach…or whether you are simply food." He informed them, swallowing up the double chocolate cake with a mighty gulp, licking his lips free of frosting as he rested his hands in his lap, blue eyes slightly twinkling. "It's what my species does, after all. The worthy get taught on any subject they'd like. A living galaxy has much to offer a world, no matter what the world may be."

"What if we just want you to leave, bucko?" Rainbow Dash growled a bit, folding her arms across her chest, eyes narrowing as the Huntsman smiled darkly.

"You really…don't want to try and make me. I've had people do that. They learned the hard way that I don't suffer fools. The Changeling queen tried a hundred years ago. I ate half her army before I decided the taste didn't suit me and I decided to try again in another century. If you're good enough to injure me…make me **bleed**. Genuinely hurt me in any way…I'll speak to your scholars of ways to cross the universe. Teach your mages of spells that make reality rend itself asunder. Inform your chefs of exotic and fascinating dishes they never knew could be made. I will build for you or kill for you. Anything you wish me to do…will be done. However, if you fail…"

He rested a clawed hand on his gut. "You will nourish me. I will eat and eat until I am full. Then I will leave and return in another hundred years to see if you're, at last, worthy."

Everyone else who'd been in the store and had so much as a CUPCAKE before them immediately pushed their food away. Suddenly they weren't so hungry anymore.

"We can beat you. Together." Rainbow Dash insisted firmly, nodding at the others as they all nodded at once, Dash slamming her hooves together with a big grin…

And then **HOWLED**. She'd forgotten she wasn't supposed to put any kind of sudden pressure on that hoof or arm.

"…maybe just not right now?" Fluttershy added nervously with a gulp as the Huntsman nonchalantly began to peel a candy apple with a single claw, whistling slightly as Rainbow Dash hopped around the Cake's Store, wincing and going "Oohnch, oohnch, oohnch" again and again, Applejack helping her friend hobble towards the door.

Yes…Spike definitely needed to write to Celestia, and fast. Something told Twilight there was no way that the Huntsman would be able to hold off the fight for the week it would take for all of them to recuperate. They needed to stall.

…_Somehow_.

**Author's Note:**

**Well, the first chapter is done. I've not often written for villains. If you see a problem, point it out in the comments, I will address it however I can. And if you liked it, lemme know! Don't be afraid to leave a review.  
><strong>

**As for the last species name this alien has...I was wondering if I should consider it a "human in Equestria" story. After all, stories like the Overlord don't really have humans in it, any bit of humanity in them has long since been dead and they're more forces or demons than actual humans in physical form or spirit...but I decided against it. At least, right now. Though depending where the story could go, there might be humans appearing.**

**Also thought about putting it up as a kind of "crossover" because the alien race inspiration came from another story I adore...but simply having a character from another story realm in this doesn't really feel like a real crossover. It requires more than just one side character.**


	2. Plan of Attack

**Plan of Attack**

**Warning...this chapter has not just soft vore, but open sexual content near the end involving two males, including cooking. You have even warned. **

Celestia sat upon her throne in Equestria, brow furrowed as Luna sat nearby, holding up a hoof and murmuring soft words as a soft, bluish/green portal began to form from a set of candles that were now situated before the diarchs. The normally bright room became filled with a faintly exotic, darkening mist that rose up from the candles, transfiguring itself into a large portal, a two-way mirror that faintly shimmered before coming into more physical form. Now the two rulers of Equestria were looking at their beloved Elements of Harmony, who had set up similar candles in the enormous hall that was Twilight's new abode as Princess of Ponyville.

A circular table ensured all were equal, each of the girls clearly visible all at once just as the two regal sisters were, Spike backing away from the candles he'd lit as he bowed his head in deference, sitting down on Twilight's lap as she placed her hooves together, Princess Celestia taking notice of something she had not expected to see...

A HORDE of Ponyville citizens were all gathered in the hall, many of them nervously murmuring among themselves in hushed, slightly terrified tones. All of it was perfectly understandable. They were facing a force that had expressed the very real desire to eat them whole and alive. A living galaxy from the stars above that had fought their supposedly all-powerful rulers of their home to a standstill, and had only spared Equestria further violence because he'd been off trying to find his only remaining family the first time...and then the second time had been sated by evidently devouring half of the Changeling race after Queen Chrysalis had foolishly tried to grab hold of him, thinking a living galaxy that could be milked for emotion would be a banquet.

Well, it HAD been a banquet. But not for her. So they were all understandably struggling not to just burst out screaming.

"We need a plan." Twilight Sparkle spoke up. "If Chrysalis could throw her entire army at him and they didn't do anything to hold him back...I don't know if we could succeed if all of Ponyville or Canterlot or Cloudsdale joined together and just attacked outright."

"Any attempt such as that must be an absolute last resort." Princess Celestia insisted with a firm nod. "I want to make that clear. I don't want ANY of you ganging together for a desperate, futile attack on him. That sort of tactic must only be tried if nothing else succeeds." She added with a wave of a hoof. "Bluebood wanted to try it, truth be told. He came to me about this very tactic the instant he heard the Huntsman had arrived."

"He's not very smart, is he?" Twilight sighed as she shook her head back and forth. "Could you speak to him? I want him to stop sending me things, I'm NOT INTERESTED in him."

"How shallow that he only cares for you because you're an alicorn princess." Rarity said, flicking her purple hair slightly back with a "harrumph", folding her arms over her chest. "A KIDDY POOL has more depth than him...and infinitely more class."

"If it SHOULD come to a full frontal attack like that asinine aristocrat Bluebood desires, your brother is already mobilzing our army, and Princess Cadence is readying the Crystal Empire's forces." Luna spoke up with a soft bow of her head, her nightly mane flowing about her like a river as she soothingly spoke to her little ponies. "We've already explained the plan to the military forces in Cloudsdale. The Wonderbolts are go."

"Furthermore, we must ask all those with children to IMMEDIATELY relocate them out of Ponyville. The Appleloosa Army has begun setting up shelters to take them in, and-" Princess Celestia began before the cacophony of angry parents filled the air, Fluttershy covering her ears with her hooves as Rainbow Dash wheeled about.

"You can't be serious!"

"We won't abandon our children!"

"This is our home!"

"What if he attacks there!?"

"HEY!" Rainbow Dash roared out, slamming her hooves down onto the table, all of the screaming, protesting parents quickly rendered stupified and silent as she let out a loud "YEOOOW", her arm still not fully healed as she pointed at the two-way mirror portal on the table, shaking her head back and forth, rainbow mane flopping about. "Princess Celestia and Luna are trying to keep your kids safe. We can't have them here where WE'LL be taking on the Huntsman. We don't want him getting them involved! We've got to get them out of the city whilst everyone who can fight gets ready to take him on if WE fail!"

"This is a great burden to place on all of you. We understand that." Princess Celestia murmured quietly, bowing her head as she shook it slightly back and forth. "We take no joy in asking you to send your children away. However, we cannot risk them getting injured by any battle between the Elements of Harmony and the Huntsman...nor do we wish to risk him getting peckish and...and deciding to begin his meal with your children. No parent should have to bury their child." She whispered softly, her voice barely audible as the parents who'd spoken up all slightly stepped back, looking nervously about at each other as an awkward silence filled the air.

For a few moments, nobody spoke...then Twilight broke the silence, holding a hoof in the air. "What can you tell us about when you fought him a millenia ago?" She asked of the princesses, Luna and Celestia's eyes clouding slightly over with memory before Celestia smiled slightly.

"We were on our way to contend with Discord when he appeared. He was imposing...frightening...and funny."

"He had quite an...interesting sense of humor." Luna admitted. "And, as we learned, a surprising amount of honor. He laid the ground rules for us, and happily agreed that if we fell to him, he'd grant us a kindness and deal with Discord himself. He's not...**inconsiderate**."

"You will be able to make use of that. He was young when he met us...inexperienced. Hadn't fought with many on our level before..." Celestia added with a wave of her hoof and a slight, almost proud smile. "He was also very surprised by our ability to raise the sun and moon. It distracted him."

Luna nodded over at her sister, then turned to look upon Twilight. "He wished, we believe, to wear us down, and we sought to do the same to him. We couldn't exactly harm him with outright force, he was always prepared for that. Had his stamina not been so great, we likely would have won...and had OUR stamina not been so great, he could have had us at his mercy. You must be unconventional in how you approach him."

"Think outside the box?" Twilight wanted to know, tapping the side of her head and nodding a bit. "We can do that, trust us."

"Where is he now?" Princess Celestia inquired, raising an eyebrow up as Applejack tilted her hat at the princess with a firm nod.

"He's outside, ma'am...eatin' Zap Apples. Says he likes the tingle...reckon EVERYONE likes the tingle they give when they get down yer throat."

Indeed, the Huntsman was calmly peeling the skin off of a rainbow-branded Zap Apple, nonchalantly whistling a merry little tune as Applejack's big brother, Big Macintosh, sat by the cart he'd tugged along, now only half-full of Zap Apples as the Cosmo Sapien tossed the skinned apple into his maw and swallowed it in a single gulp. Applejack's baby sister Apple Bloom hid behind the thick legs of her crimson-furred brother, a splash of yellow hiding behind apple red as her deep red hair nervously bobbed a bit as she poked her head up from behind one such leg, her friends watching from behind the apple cart. Neither the deep orange/brown little foal Scootaloo nor the pale-coated Sweetie Belle felt the courage to get much closer. In fact, Scootaloo very much wanted to fly away...if not for the fact her wings were near useless and barely able to help her hover. Something about this being simply scared the living bejeebus out of them in a way nothing before HAD.

"Um...M-Mister...Huntsman, sir?" Apple Bloom managed to gulp out, the Huntsman lowering the apple he'd been about to eat, staring at her with his pale, icy blue eyes, slowly blinking at her. He waited a few moments as she stammered there, unable to formulate thoughts into coherent words.

"Take your time, little one." He intoned. "I've got plenty of time."

"Y-you're...um...that is...you don't...like...eat foals, do you?" She finally asked, Big Macintosh giving the Huntsman a "You'd better not answer that the wrong way or I'll personally skin you myself like you did those apples" glare.

"I've swallowed up mountains, oceans, towns and cities. Old, young, man, woman and child." The Huntsman informed her, sitting up from the bench outside of Twilight's new castle, looking down on Apple Bloom. "BUT...I _prefer _not to eat children." He offered. "I like children." He added, kneeling down and smiling at her with his fanged grin.

"Why do you gotta EAT people? Cantcha just...like...have a sandwich?" Apple Bloom managed to get out, the Huntsman sighing sadly as he hung his head.

"What flows through me...the energy I use in my powers, it's what my race called "tantric energy". It's the energy the spirit of living, sentient beings gives off. It's why my race **has **to feed on sentient beings. We living galaxies need it to not merely sustain our powers, but to help keep entropy at bay." The Huntsman explained to the young foal as she blinked stupidly in confusion.

"En...tropy? That...is that some kinda magic?"

"Close, but not quite...think of it like this. Your body needs energy or it begins to wear down. Mine requires even MORE of it than yours." The Huntsman chuckled. "You know...you've got my sister's curiosity. She was **always **fascinated by other beings."

Big Mac IMMEDIATELY put a hoof around Apple Bloom and glared protectively at the Huntsman. "No. Touchy." He muttered darkly.

"Relax." The Huntsman said, holding a clawed hand up, looking off to the side, chuckling a bit. "I believe a much more..._satisfying _meal has presented itself to me." He remarked as loud trumpets blared in the air, Big Mac, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle whipping their heads behind them, seeing a large assembly of armored ponies flanking a thick-chested, golden-haired, blue eyed HUNK of a stallion who was trotting his way into town at the forefront of his men. Banners flowed to the side of him as the trumpets blared a jaunty, triumphant, militaristic tune, Sweetie Belle slapping her face and dragging it slightly down with her hoof.

"Oh NO, not BLUEBLOOD." She moaned just as Rarity poked her head out of the palace along with the rest of the Mane Six, Twilight especially groaning in annoyance. Was he here for what she THOUGHT he was here for, because she'd been getting presents and letters from him in the mail for the past three weeks, he'd been pestering her constantly at Canterlot and now-

"Princess!" Blueblood's highfalutin, stuck-up voice proclaimed as he spread his legs slightly wide, the Huntsman nonchalantly resting his head on one hand, clearly amused by all of this. "Tis I! Here to slay this foul beast and win your hand in one swift, bold, brave motion!"

"Oh, my. Blueblood is about to be CHIVALROUS. Well. I guess there's a first time for EVERYTHING!" Rarity wryly muttered.

"Blueblood...what the BUCK do you think you're doing?" Twilight Sparkle managed to growl out through gritted teeth, her brow furrowed as she threw her hooves in the air, still hanging slightly out of the enormous windows her palace, her and her friends bright splashes of color against the bluish/grey of her new home as Bluebood cleared his throat. "You have to get out of here, now!"

**_"Tis I! Tis I! Your noble, regal steed! Princess! My love! At last, you shall be freed! I'm strong and brave, and to do what none will dare! To fight with speed, and massive might and soft and bouncy HAAAAIR!" _**Bluebood proclaimed, standing on his hindquarters, swishing his mane through the air as it flowed like a zephyr in the breeze, several of the onlookers peeking out through other windows gasping and fainting as the Huntsman rubbed his chin.

"Hmm." He remarked with interest, Big Mac giving him a look. "What? I appreciate beauty, regardless of gender."

"Blueblood, get out of here or he'll EAT YOU ALIVE! Literally! I don't mean that as a figure of speech!" Twilight insisted fervently as the Huntsman calmly began cracking his knuckles, Big Mac sweeping up Apple Bloom and bolting away with her, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo following after, since, of course, this next part was surely not going to be suitable for children.

"Good shall always triumph over evil!" Blueblood proclaimed majestically, charging at the Huntsman, letting out a powerful roar as his horn glowed brightly, a bolt of lightning shooting around it as it shifted into an enormous lance that leveled itself at the Huntsman.

"I'm not evil, I'm just **hungry**." The Huntsman commented calmly, holding out a single palm, claws slightly curling as he CAUGHT the lance, lifting the now terrified Blueblood up into the air with his other hand, the electrical lance being absorbed into the Huntsman's palm as if sliding down into quicksand, the unicorn nobleman struggling uselessly to free himself from the horned, starry-bodied being's grip. The Huntsman licked his lips, holding up an apple from the cart.

"I think slightly roasted...a Zap Apple here...a fine wine sauce...yes, you'll taste positively DIVINE." The alien hunter informed Blueblood, who's blue eyes bulged in horror as the Huntsman shoved a zap apple into his mouth, his claws working their way over Blueblood's pale white regalia, cutting open the coat he was wearing over his entire body, taking off the faintly bluish/white undershirt and the royal blue bow tie he wore, taking the bow tie and tying it around Blueblood's mouth to keep the apple in. "Oh. Right..." He took notice of the terrified, disgusted ponies watching him, slinging Blueblood over his shoulder, one arm keeping his back hooves tied together, the other holding his neck down onto his shoulder. "You don't wish to see that. My apologies, you'd, ah...best stay away from the local diner I took notice of when I was inside your town for the next...say...half an hour? Forty minutes?"

"S-sure..." Applejack gulped out, mouth agape, not the ONLY one struggling to find the words to describe how incredibly bucked-up this all was as the Huntsman calmly walked past Blueblood's astonished platoon of men, stopping briefly to address them.

"I don't suppose any of you would like me to let him go?"

They all IMMEDIATELY bolted, the horns, trumpets, banners and various drums flopping uselessly to the ground like deflated balloons, Blueblood begininning to bawl as the Huntsman slightly shrugged, continuing his way into the town as Twilight gulped nervously, slowly turning around and facing her friends and the other denizens of Ponyville.

"Um...can't we try and help him?" Fluttershy spoke up. "I mean...we can't just leave him to be EATEN."

"What can we do? Remember, if we all just charge at him outright..." Applejack mumbled, shaking her head back and forth.

"I wanted him to learn some MANNERS, not...I mean...what are we supposed to do? How can we fight something that can shrug off a bolt of LIGHTNING so...EASILY?" Rarity whispered out to the others, her face filled with pure fear.

"I...**think**...the best we can do is to come up with some ideas for how to deal with the Huntsman whilst he's...preoccupied..." Princess Twilight Sparkle muttered nervously, Rainbow Dash looking down at her still sore arm, cringing a bit as she rubbed it. Suddenly that injury and what her friends had endured at the train crash just a day ago seemed so...petty...compared to what Blueblood was going to go through.

They needed a plan.

And fast.

...

...

...

... "MWA-HA-HA-HA-HA!" Queen Chrysalis cackled as she sat atop the enormous black carapace of the Changeling Army's newest attempt to take down the Elements of Harmony, acquire a food source for her race and then march on Canterlot. The beetle-esque, quadruple-winged "Black Battalion Bug", a true marvel of Changeling design. Crafted out of a mixture of donated Changeling shells, skin and chitin, melded together with the specialized cocooning liquid her species used to imprison prey and leech off emotions from, the Triple B was making its way towards Ponyville, several hordes of Changeling troops standing atop the flat carapace at the crest of the Triple B. "With this, I will crush Equestria beneath my hooves!"

"We're only a half a mile away from Ponyville, your majesty!" The chief scout proclaimed as his holey hooves held up a set of binoculars for his deep red eyes to peer through. The average Changeling didn't have eye shades rarer than the primary colors of the rainbow...unlike Chrysalis, who's eyes were a vibrant green and alit with delight as she eagerly licked her lips, anticipating a wonderful feast. "And it seems utterly deserted! We believe they're all inside that castle!"

"We have them CORNERED, then. Move the ship in closer, steady as she goes." Chrysalis insisted, turning about to address her horde, her long, slick, oily hair falling about her face as she slightly brushed a lock to the side. "Now, my Little Changelings, listen well. This will be a small test of your abilities to move in conjunction with the Black Battalion Bug. It can handle most forms of magic, rocks and tree trunks just bounce off of it...it will rain down destruction as you provide ground assaults and sweep through-"

"My Liege!" The scout cried out, eyes bugging out from his binoculars. "The-there's a...a MONSTER in the middle of the town! He's got Prince Blueblood of Canterlot slung over his shoulder! He looks like some...some kind of freakish MINOTAUR but he has no hooves and...and his body's all made of stars! He's looking right AT us!"

"Hellooooo." The Huntsman mused, raising a nonexistent eyebrow up as he beheld the black blob in the sky making its way towards the town, with him moments from entering Ponyville Diner. "What's this? I recognize that scent..."

"Noooo..._nooooooooo_..." Queen Chrysalis gulped, quickly shoving the scout to the side and holding the binoculars up, peering through and gaping in horror as a cold, dark chill shot through her skinny frame. "It's...it's HIM! SCUTTLE! SCUTTLE!"

"I don''t think he has a ship to chase after us with, do you mean turn it around, the ship's not fast enough to do quick turns and revers-" The scout began to say as Chrysalis grabbed hold of him and shook him back and forth like a ragdoll.

"Scuttle the SHIP, I mean! It'll save us some time and a THOUSAND cooked alive Changelings!" She shrieked, all of the changelings IMMEDIATELY ripping the ship to pieces, entire chunks being quickly ripped off. Sure enough, within a few minutes of IMPRESSIVE destruction, screeching, tearing and howling in fear, the entire ship promptly plummeted towards the ground with a mighty crash of thunder, the Changelings taking off in the opposite direction of the Huntsman as he tilted his head slightly to the side, slightly confused...and slightly disappointed. He'd never gotten the chance to see if Chrysalis had tasted better than her soldiers. There'd been so little meat on them. Too crunchy...

"Ah, well. **You'll** do nicely, stallion." He informed Blueblood, entering the diner and making his way into the kitchen, setting the nobleman down on the enormous rectangular cooking table. Cosmo Sapien then carefully leaned down, fanged mouth leaning in, whispering into Blueblood's ear as the noble twitched and shivered in pure fear, his blood turned to icewater in his veins as the Huntsman spoke, his ethereal voice speaking softly, almost comfortingly.

"I'm giving you a choice. Cooking you alive would be agonizing. I can make this painless for you in exchange for your absolute utter submission. You will not struggle. You will not resist. You won't fight back or try to break free. Submit...and your final hours will be pleasant and comforting." The Huntsman cooed, his clawed hands carefully stroking down Blueblood's back, petting him. "Such a beautiful specimen...deserves to be treated gently. Will you give in utterly to me? Submit your body UTTERLY?"

Blueblood couldn't speak, the Zap Apple still in his mouth, his tears flowing freely down his cheeks as he nodded, whimpering a bit, knowing he was powerless to resist, the Huntsman tenderly patting his head. "Good." He murmured. "Don't worry. I always, always keep my word..." He said, Blueblood feeling the Huntsman's claws carefully lift him up and he was turned around, the holding him tight to his chest. One hand held the stallion's head against his breast so the Stallion could faintly hear the alien hunter's heart beating, the other gently resting it upon Blueblood's rear, easing it down, Blueblood feeling something pushing against his rear...

Blueblood shuddered as it slid in, and out, in and out, smooth, calm, careful. The Huntsman was being true to his word...it wasn't painful, and within a few minutes, a thick, warm warmth began to spread up through the stallion's rear, a warm haze filling his body as the Huntsman let out a soft hiss, more of the liquid filling Blueblood up as he breathed deep into the stallion's neck, his breath hot and heavy.

"My father taught me to be as merciful to my prey as possible...that doing this allows a powerful aphrodisiac to flood into their bodies. It assists with...my meals. This kindness may mean little to most of my kind, but my family knew it meant everything to our prey. They deserve better...which is what you'll receive." He informed Blueblood quietly, his seed flowing freely into Blueblood's body before, at last, he slid it out. With a slow, careful "PLOP" it removed itself from Blueblood's rear and the Huntsman could see the former noble's face was alit with ectasy, eyes half-glazed, murmuring softly in delight as the Huntsman carried him over to the table and laid him down, turning to the nearby oven. It was a good thing it was so large...

"I want you to understand this. You're not dying needlessly." The Huntsman added with a soft nod of his horned head, patting Blueblood's head with his hands. "Every bit of you will be tenderly recycled, broken down into raw materials that will help the many worlds within me. You'll ensure fine harvests of crops, providing nutrients for the plants. Your genetic material will disseminate and help seed other worlds within me. Your intelligence will be added to my own. Even your spirit will join me...you'll see through my eyes, feel what I do. Take comfort in that, Blueblood." The Huntsman gently requested before he placed the nobleman inside the oven.

With a SCHOOMP, the door closed, and Blueblood was sealed away within the intense, blazing heat that was slowly, but painlessly, cooking him alive. He wasn't sure how, but...the Huntsman had been right. He'd kept his word, the process didn't hurt a bit, his fur reddening, his awareness slowly fading into nothingness. Within a few minutes, he was now a delightfully cooked golden brown color, and it was time to give him the proper dressing. The Huntsman nonchalantly preparing his meal, carefully inserting a large carrot into Blueblood's rear, a rather impressive rump indeed, which was now well-accented with his somewhat crisped-up and still curled tail. The black hooves of his feet were barely visible nestled beneath the two sizable globes of the propped up behind, his calves tucked neatly beneath his hams, and Blueblood's legs were nicely spread open wide to give a good look at them from multiple angles. The large, ripe rainbow-colored apple was still held in his protruding mouth, thick, juicy flesh, perfectly marbled with a faint layer of muscles and not that much fat at all...

The Huntsman licked his lips, eager to dine, lifting the cooked stallion up, jaws opening wide as he began to swallow the former nobleman whole. It was just as delightful as he'd hoped...the species was still very, VERY delicious. He'd managed to enjoy a few who'd foolishly attacked him before meeting with Celestia and Luna, and they were still creamy and juicy, these stallions. This one especially had a lovely vanilla flavor to him, more and more of his cooked body finding it's way down the Huntsman's gullet.

Eventually he sat down in the diner's main dining area, resting his claws upon his belly, a look of superiority on his face as he leisurely stroked it in a circular fashion, a nice bulge clearly visible. "Thank you." He said to his gut where Blueblood's cooked form was now digesting. "Truly...thank you." The ponies here were indeed wonderful, absolutely delightful meals. He hoped they'd prove to be far better challenges than Blueblood had, though...he preferred to work for his supper.


	3. Origin of the Hunt

Twilight Sparkle had spent the entire night with her friends and with the people of Ponyville, speaking of one thing and one thing alone: how to deal with the Cosmo Sapien that had landed in Equestria. How to contend with this hunter from beyond the stars. How to defeat the Huntsman that had fought Celestia and Luna to a standstill.

Could they, possibly, wear him out like Celestia and Luna had, given enough time? Perhaps...but doubtful. After all, the two had fought against him for days and they'd been in their prime whilst he was young and inexperienced. Now HE was in their prime. Could they ask the two matriarchs to do this on their own once more?

POSSIBLE...with age came wisdom. They'd gained considerable experience and powers, perhaps they could last longer, wear him down...make him bleed. Yes, yes, they could possibly do it...

But then again, if they failed, all of Equestria would lose their beloved monarchs. Could the Elements of Harmony really forgive themselves if they'd told Celestia and Luna to go through with a plan that only succeeded in getting them killed?

Then again, that was just one possibility. They had friends in so many places...Discord, Force of Chaos and Disharmony. Surely he could do something...couldn't he? Then again, this was a living galaxy they were fighting...whatever Discord planned to do might be moot. Could Zecora's special Zebra magics have some kind of solution? Or perhaps a trip to the Griffon Empire to the far North would yield a solution, for the Griffon race had tactics and skills quite different from ponies, even, it was rumored, a different brand of magic, just like how the minotaur race had fascinating types of alternate magic. Could an appeal to the Griffon's new empress be the solution?

Or, perhaps, as Spike had suggested...the dragons. SOME of them weren't completely unreasonable...and others, if they heard about an alien hunter from beyond the stars would JUMP at the chance to fight this fascinating new foe. Machismo pumped through dragon blood like liquid fire...

But before they tried that, Fluttershy wanted to try something. Something Twilight was fairly bucking sure would not work, but...oh well. She knocked on the door of the diner the next day, slowly opening up the door. Sure enough, the Huntsman was nonchalantly pouring himself what was unmistakably a cup of hot coffee, whistling cheerily as his horned head bounced back and forth, tapping a foot as he turned to look upon the soft face of Fluttershy.

"Miss Fluttershy. What a pleasant surprise." His ethereal, slightly echoing voice remarked as he bowed his head a bit, sipping from the mug of hot chocolate he had as he walked out from behind the diner's kitchen counter, resting his arms upon the cash register and cheerily smiling at the pink-haired pony. "However can I help you?"

Fluttershy's soft, lilting voice slowly rose out from her mouth as she cleared her throat, looking nervously at his stomach. Thankfully, there wasn't any...bulge...left over from when he'd-she shuddered, thinking about Blueblood's shocked face as he'd been snatched up so easily. "I, um, that is, I, uh..."

"Spit it out." The Huntsman remarked. "Which reminds me..."

He held up a hand, hacking slightly, a bit of yellow flair flopping out onto the floor as he cringed. "Sorry. Hairball."

"Please just leave!" She finally managed to get out. "PLEASE. Don't hurt anyone else. Please just go away, far away, and don't ever come back. I KNOW you need to eat...to eat people. Not just animals, but people, Big Mac, Applebloom, they told us about it, that you need that energy people give off to survive. I...I get you need to gobble up...gobble up people. But..." She quivered slightly, her body shivering as he stood up, putting the mug of hot chocolate down on the pale, faded top of the cash register. "Can't you...I don't know, I mean...can't you at the very least try NOT eating people? Or...only go after really bad, BAD people?"

"Do you know how long I can last without eating someone? A month at the most." The Huntsman admitted as he put a clawed hand on his chest, sighing slightly, pale blue eyes closing. "Because if I don't eat anyone after that...living, sentient beings with tantric energy...I get more and more feral. Desperate. And then I start to starve and die and my body begins to go. If I was just an ordinary being, I'd gladly let myself perish if it meant keeping innocents safe." He told her mournfully. "But I'm a Cosmo Sapien. I am a living galaxy. I have...billions of others within me to think about. Why should they all die just because I start feeling guilty?" He asked of Fluttershy. "They shouldn't have to be sacrificed."

"But it's not right to sacrifice others either..." Fluttershy mumbled, hanging her head, looking as though she wished to cry. "It's so...mean."

"Fluttershy..." The Huntsman said, his tone becoming more gentle and soft as he carefully walked around the cashier stand to her, kneeling by her, tenderly lifting up her head to make her look into his eyes, cyan into icy blue. "How many terrible people do you think are in your world? Maybe...one out of every hundred? One out of a thousand?" He asked her. "Terrible people are the exception, not the rule, to life. I've learned that very quickly. It isn't like there's a planet full entirely of murderers and bunny rapists." He added, glancing over her shoulder, Fluttershy's pet rabbit Angel holding up a small sign that read "I Will Bury You" in hastily scratched letters, one fist shaking furiously as he sat outside the diner on a flower box. "If I COULD just eat awful people, monstrous people who just like hurting others, I WOULD. It's just...it's not easy as you might think to find prey such as that. And more often than not, they're really all cowards...not even remotely a challenge. My species LIVES for that...the challenge, the thrill, the hunt. It's practically in our blood."

He stood up and turned away from her, covering his face with one hand, sighing. "If I'd been here just a few months ago, I would have gladly dealt with your "Tirek" problem for you, and I'd probably have been quite well fed for at least a month, but...the people in your jails are just overwhelmingly the occasional thief or violent drunk...not a challenge, not a threat, not a meal. Not even much of a snack."

"Just because something is convenient, doesn't mean it's right." Fluttershy muttered as she headed for the kitchen, deciding to pour HERSELF some hot cocoa as she lifted the pot up, pouring some contents into another mug, casting a glare over at the Huntsman's direction. "You could try looking harder...and that way you wouldn't have to hurt innocent people."

"So you want me to delay my feeding for a potential meal later...rather than a certain one I could get right now?" He asked of her, raising a nonexistent eyebrow up. "I'm sorry. Honestly. But I can't wait that long." He admitted. "I'm willing to give all of you a few more days thanks to the meal I just enjoyed. But in three days, I'll choose whom I'm hunting...and if you don't succeed in harming me, making me bleed, truly HURTING me, then..." He trailed off.

Fluttershy sipped her hot cocoa, taking in a deep breath for a moment before the Huntsman headed over to a nearby table and absentmindedly twirled a single claw on the top, biting into his lip as Fluttershy got an idea. "Could you...tell me about your people? You said to us you were looking for your sister, you'd told the Princesses you were the only one left. Why is that? That is...if you don't mind me asking?" She wanted to know with a nervous gulp as the Huntsman smiled wistfully, his eyes filling with faint memory as he glanced up and out the window, speaking softly...thoughtfully...

_Slowly he made his way across barren desert, wrapping his arms around his chest and shuddering as he struggled to keep his sobs contained._

"It had been fifteen weeks. Fifteen weeks without food. Fifteen weeks since…since everything had gone straight down the tubes and my race had gone extinct."

_The chill of the wind cut into him, digging its claws in deep into his skull as he moaned in a mixture of pain and despair, his parent's final insistences ringing in his head, bouncing back and forth. He couldn't take much more of this…_

"I was so hungry...but there were no animals around to hunt. And…no people. It was a rather foolish way of living. My people were hunters through and through, Fluttershy. We'd go from planet to planet and look for challenges and food. As you know, if any of the natives managed to actually really hurt us, we'd teach them all we knew and we'd leave.

"But that couldn't have made you that popular. I doubt you lost that often, Mr. Huntsman."

"No, we didn't. And eventually a great and powerful racehad enough. The Seraphi came. They sealed us away on our own planet. Destroyed any ability we had to get off unless somebody on the OUTSIDE took pity on us and came, but…we'd made so many enemies that…"

"So what happened?"

_It had all gone downhill so fast. Food became scarce, and then nonexistent. Mothers fought with their children. Fathers squabbled with their sons. Families were torn apart over what little scraps of meat remained and…and then came the implosion of law and order on the planet. The tribal governments collapsed. His people were skilled and intelligent only in SOME areas. When it came to growing food…cultivating it…they were sadly lacking._

_There had always been rumors of secret bunkers loaded up with caches of "well-won mementos"…of earned rewards after successful hunts on other planets, but…there weren't any bunkers. People had searched and searched and his mother and father had said nobody had ever found a scrap of meat. So they hunted down what few animals remained on the planet…_

_And…and then when no animals remained…_

"Some people like to make jokes on how they live off their parents. When...when I say that I'm NOT joking."

"I'm so sorry…"

"It's not your fault. My parents had to teach me how to cut and carve through bone and flesh. Through…through THEIR flesh. All to keep me alive. The last of the hunters…I HAD to live. I **couldn't** let their deaths be in vain!"

"How did you survive for so long?"

"Well…it was a stroke of luck, really…"

_He couldn't believe it when he finally reached the mountains…in an annoyed, angry moment he had slammed his fist in frustration against a mountainside…and it had collapsed outward, giving way to a now partially-hidden bunker. Pale blue eyes bugging out, he'd dug and dug his way through the rocky remains about him, his claws tearing the door off it's hinges, eyes alit with joy as he looked upon the large boxes of cans inside of the room. _

_Food. FOOD! Canned food, of course…canned food from another world, by the looks of it. He could barely read the language on the big metal boxes inside of the bunker, but he knew the images on the sides of the can were food. He licked his lips, his tongue tapping his fangs and grinned as he ripped the top of the nearest can open, glancing down at the contents. Fruit. Fruit! He popped the greenish/pink slices into his mouth._

_Mmmmm. Juicy and sweet, he swished it about in his mouth, drinking in every drop of moisture and savoring the delightful feel of it as it went down his throat. He downed every single slice and licked the can's insides clean as he reached for another can, ripping IT'S top open with a single claw, licking his lips again. Vegetables, evidently. Slightly tart, but filling, with a faint crunch as he hungrily chewed into them, grabbing for another can…_

"It wasn't like meat, but...still very enjoyable."

"Do you...have to swallow them whole? I know you did it to me, but...it would really hurt if you had digested me."

"Well, when we swallow prey whole, that's the proper feeding for my species. I remember the first time my father demonstrated it against...well, your kind would say it's similar to a rabbit. He had me place my head against his stomach so I could feel and hear what the "pooka" was experiencing. I was...worried for it. I didn't want such a cute little thing to suffer, but...it didn't struggle or cry out. it was too tired, too worn, and it didn't want to fight back. There was little point.

"That sounds cruel."

"My father talked about how his kind fed upon people as well in this manner, but...they didn't suffer when they were gently broken down within our bellies. The process is very pleasurable and comfortable. But he told me that when I had eaten my meals, when they laid within my belly's pit, I...I should speak to my prey. Comfort them."

"Why? If you're just going to eat them-"

"Because whilst it may have meant little to us, we knew it meant everything to our prey. It would have been cruel otherwise. And I had no idea how soon I'd end up meeting someone else…someone that wasn't one of my own kind…someone who forced me to do something I'd never wanted to do…"

"What happened?"

"I opened up a can, thinking it was more food, and..."

...

...

...

..."This is fucking SICK." The Huntsman muttered as he looked down at what had crawled out of the can he'd dropped to the ground, eyes bugged out wide, mouth hanging open, shuddering in disgust. "What…sick…depraved…"

"Hi! I'm Maddy. And you?" The tiny little humanoid WOMAN that had crawled out of the can he'd just opened remarked cheerily, smiling warmly at him with soft green eyes, some freckles on her face as she walked towards him, this…odd THING barely even half a foot tall, her black locks flicking back and forth over her shoulder as she walked towards his head and looked up at him.

"…er…I'm the Huntsman now. I had to leave my old name behind since my people are all gone. No point in my real name…"

"I can't just call ya HUNTSMAN, can I?"

"…My nickname was "Nebby"." He muttered, his horned head looking down at this face, this earnest, honest face. "This is…I need to just…just hold on." He said, slowly getting up and rubbing his eyes, shaking his horned head back and forth. "Let me see if I can understand this, you're…SENTIENT FOOD?! They…they stuck people in a can on your planet for others to eat?!"

"Yeah, that's how they did things." Maddy said with a shrug, looking up at this strange face, those pale blue eyes, a face of one with definite standards which could not be easily doubted. "We Women in a Can all share a collective consciousness. That way we know how to best appeal in taste and preparation for different classes, genders, species…everybody shares what they remember. None of us were ever eaten by one of YOU before. You're a very interesting looking alien!" She admitted, rubbing his black body, the tiny little dots in his form blinking a bit. "They look like…stars in the night sky."

"They ARE stars. My species are living galaxies." The Huntsman admitted with a nod as he carefully lowered his palm down and helped her up, looking her over. "You're so small…" He murmured softly. "You said your name was Maddy?"

"Yes. We're based off the personality of our originator. Being made into a template for food means you go into a lab every month and take tests, it's good money so a lot of people are fine with being templates for "Vore in a Can"." Maddy admitted with a shrug.

"But…you're people." The Huntsman murmured. "I can't eat a person. If you're capable of debating why you can't be eaten, you shouldn't be EATEN! That's…that's not right!"

"We've had other people tell us that too." Maddy admitted as she looked up at the Huntsman, seeing the concern on his almost ethereal face, a sad glint coming to her eyes before she sighed. "Well, uh…would you, perhaps, like to tell me a little about yourself and your kind?"

"My species are known as "The Hunting Party"." He said, sitting down on a full, box, glancing up and out of the exit. "We were sealed off from the rest of the galaxy by beings even more powerful than us. I'm sure they…they wanted to be **KIND**." He mumbled, hanging his head slightly, looking like he wanted to cry, his voice slightly breaking. "That-that they just wanted us to find a different way, to…to th-think about what we'd done all these years but…we ate up all the animals, then…then we turned on each other just to survive."

"I'm so sorry." Maddy admitted gently as he held her to his chest and she then comfortingly rubbed it, feeling his body. "Mmmmm. You feel soft and warm. Like…like satin that's been left out in the summer sun." She added with a small smile. "You're a nice person, "Nebby". I can tell."

"Thank you." He admitted with a nod. "Would you like something to eat?" He asked of her. "There's plenty of fruit cans here." The horned Huntsman inquired, pulling out a small can and cracking it open with a single claw. He carefully pulled out a slice of the sweet fruit he'd eaten before and gave it to her. She flopped down on his palm onto her back with a THWOOF before munching away on it, eagerly biting into it.

"Mmmmmmm. This is good." She admitted, happily enjoying the slice of fruit as he held her in his palms.

"I don't have anyone else here." He admitted. "Could you, perhaps…keep me company?" He asked of her.

"I don't have that long a shelf life." She nervously murmured out, glancing back up at him. "I…I won't last for more than a week." Maddy mumbled. "The people that made me didn't…didn't want their customers just buying one of us and…and getting close, never buying another. They made us to not last that long so people would keep buying. They weren't in the business of making PETS…" Maddy finished. "I'm really sorry."

The Huntsman looked like he wanted to cry, his eyes brimming up with the makings of tears. He couldn't believe it, not…just when he'd found someone…

"It's alright." Maddy whispered, resting her head against his chest. "You're a nice person. I won't mind."

"I can't hurt you. You're an innocent. I don't want to be like my parents. Even though they only fed when necessary, I...I don't want to take ANY lives. I don't care if I'll die." Nebby murmured to her. "I didn't ASK to be born like this..."

"It won't be so bad to be one with you." Maddy told him comfortingly.

"I admit, my kind doesn't just "digest" live meals. We like to…well, "absorb"." He admitted nervously. "What we do is we will take our prey and swallow them whole, that's what my father showed. And we'll carefully recycle normal prey's body to help fuel the many, many worlds within us. He said that their deaths ensured the continued survival of millions, but…it feels **wrong **to sacrifice innocent lives just to keep **other **lives alive. Why should **WE **get to pick and choose who lives and dies?" He asked. "That seems mean. How would some family felt if I had to tell them I needed to eat their son because I didn't wanna die of hunger?" The Huntsman mumbled.

"And "absorbing"? How does that work?" Maddy asked.

"Well…dad never really explained that. He said it was something I had to "feel", and practice. But…never really got the chance. Haven't found any other animals or…people. Not until you." He muttered, looking down at her. "…Maddy. I don't want to hurt you." He said, carefully lifting her up and licking her clean as carefully as he could, holding her to his chest in his palm.

"I know. I'm…I'm sorry. I really am." Maddy whispered back. "…let's get some sleep." She asked. "I'm…kind of tired."

"Alright." He told her, getting off the crate and heading to the back of the bunker, lying up against some pillows someone had brought in with a bunch of blankets, wrapping one over himself whilst she slept down on one nearby. "Sleep tight, Maddy." He murmured softly to her. "Sweet dreams."

...

...

...

... "Maddy was...my first friend." The Huntsman murmured softly, putting a hand on his chest as Fluttershy looked into his eyes, and...saw tears. True tears which he wiped away on his arm. "And my...my first m...my first meal. I didn't want to hurt her. To feel her shape lose form and...and to know that someone so nice and sweet had to die just so I and all within me could live. Good people like that don't deserve that, they..." He bit into his lip. "...but I realized I had no choice. Sometimes...you don't get to choose. Sometimes you're just dealt an awful hand, and you have to play it...and keep playing, hoping that eventually you'll catch a break and do some good."

Fluttershy then did something she didn't think she could have brought herself to do...inching over to him and gently reaching out, putting a hand on his arm as he turned to look at her, her eyes mournful as she shook her head.

"I'm so sorry." She whispered. "You seem nice. For all you've done and...and what you have to do, you really do seem nice. I wish I could help you. I WANT there to be something I can do...not something I HAVE to do."

He smiled appreciatively at her, giving her a nod as she left the diner, the door shutting behind her with a SWISH as Angel hopped down the road after her, Neh-Buh-Loh the Cosmo Sapien resting his hands in his lap, head bowed as he cringed, his voice quiet and contemplative.

"But what if there's nothing?..."

...

...

...

... "He can be reached?" Twilight Sparkle murmured softly, resting her head on her hooves, brow furrowed as she and the rest of her friends sat around the circular table in the castle, brow furrowed. "...he's clearly suffering from genuine survivor's guilt. Near-crippling guilt."

"So if we can't hit his head...we could hit his heart?" Spike asked, scratching his head as the others all looked around at each other, Fluttershy nodding slightly.

"Good on you for finding that out, Fluttershy! Really smart." Rainbow Dash said cheerily, patting Fluttershy on her back, cringing, her arm STILL not fully healed as Fluttershy nervously blushed.

"Thank you." She shyly murmured, biting her lip...

Not entirely willing to admit that...looking into his eyes, seeing his pain, seeing his suffering, seeing him bear his soul...she'd realized something.

She had truly **felt **for him. More than just pity. More than just sympathy. Looking into the eyes of the person who was willing and able to eat her and her friends alive, she had felt something spark inside her.

And it felt very much like love.


End file.
